Splitter not starting??

UPDATE: Been messing with this thing here and there with no luck Waited for a warmer day, nuthin, starter fluid in the carb, nuthin, gas in the spark plug/piston, nuthin. Toying with the thing, found it might be the spring on the throttle body is worn already. Arent these things heat treated?I guess I will replace the spring, but if no go, its off to warranty work for who knows how long....... I guess the pile of red oak will keep on winking at me......

did you gas foul the plug so it won't fire?

I poured alittle tsp of fuel in than added the plug. Its the closest I got to starting it. The plug is something that needs replacing as well. Probably should have done that first, but the splitter is 4 mo old, but has seen around 15 cords.

Have you verified that you have spark? Was the plug wet when you pulled it?

copper plugs are cheap... I'd change it and try again...

My homemade splitter was built by my uncle a looooong time ago... it's 1960's tecumseh engine with electric start that runs like a champ... as long as I give 'er a new plug each fall.

Small Engine 101. You must have 3 things for a small engine to run, Fuel, compression and spark. You know you had fuel, you should be able to feel no compression so that only leaves one thing left.

Since my original post to this thread I ran into a "no start" day and feel I flooded the thing in COLD 0 degree weather. I let it set until the temps got above 20 and added a little heat or some such thing and fresh gas - she fired right up. As mentioned - get a new plug. My next oil change will likely be a 0 (zero) weight synthetic as all(99%) of my work is in cold weather and oil can become near jelly in the crank case making the pull start a bear!! I need an electric start.

Synthetic oil & SeaFoam is the ticket.

You do not need a 0 (zero) weight synthetic for cold temps. One of the nice things about synthetic oil is that hot or cold temps do not do much to it compared to conventional motor oil. I run the manufacturer's specified oil weight in my ZTR and have no issue with the engine cranking over in the cold. Same thing goes for the splitter. If you do some research, you will find that synthetics do not thicken very easily due to cold temps and that is one of their advantages over conventional motor oil. My F350 starts right up even when the temps are in the teens. About the only thing I use conventional oil in is the chainsaw and that is only to lubricate the bar. That is also the only oil that flows like molasses when it is cold out. Seriously, take a bottle of synthetic motor oil, put it outside overnight, and see how it flows in the morning. Try it with the weight that is recommended by the splitter engine manufacturer. Brainstorming about the saw oil. Might stick an aquarium heater in it when I cut in the cold. Have an inverter in the truck and plenty of aquarium heaters laying around. A small one should fit right into the can and warm it up just fine to around 50 degrees.

Just a quick link from a quick google search I did on "Does synthetic motor oil thicken in cold temps"

http://autos.jdpower.com/content/consumer-interest/HKHBYmL/synthetic-motor-oils.htm

Cheap dipstick type oil heater from an autoparts store?

Does the entire rod on the dipstick heater get warm? If so, that could be a problem and possibly melt the side of the plastic can.

I was thinking about something like this:

http://www.thatpetplace.com/theo-heater-25w-ul-listed

7 inches long and I can probably just drop it into the can and not have to worry about it burning the plastic. The cord is long enough that I could attach the inverter to the battery outside the truck and just run this thing off the battery the entire time I am out cutting. Plus, it has a thermostat in it so that the oil will never get above a certain temp.

Then again, I could just buy winter weight oil for the few times a year that I am out cutting in the cold. Also, as mentioned previously, this sort of setup would not prevent the oil from freezing in the bar and possibly throwing the chain. Thing is, if it is below 20 degrees, I am not going to be outside unless it is in a waterfowl blind. This subject is probably a huge non-issue for me.

Hmmm, I seem to remember only the tip getting warm.

Well, it was the sparkplug. This is just another one of my stupid moments when thinking since the splitter is so new, there is no way its the sparkplug. I should have known better. Even though I felt an electrical charge, doesnt mean its traveling where it needs to go. Anyhoo, fixed, running, happy to split 1.5 cords today.

Figures I type this.....

... and this morning I'm out there with a battery charger, wrenches and a can of carb cleaner...

carb's clean now and it runs again... lol

Gotta love that spark test!

:D